BJP leader arrested for raping daughter for eight years

Amritsar, March 25 (IANS) The Punjab Police Wednesday said a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader had been arrested after his 20-year-old daughter complained he had sexually exploited her for the last eight years. The BJP is a partner in Punjab’s Akali Dal-led ruling alliance. Ashok Taneja, the general secretary of the Ajnala unit of the BJP, was arrested after his daughter, a college student, filed a complaint, said police officials in the border town, 30 km from here.

Amritsar Superintendent of Police (Rural) Satpal Joshi said a case of rape has been registered against the accused, who has been “arrested”.

An investigating officer said: “She (the daughter) mustered courage to tell her relatives about her sexual exploitation after seeing a similar case being reported from Mumbai a few days back. They helped her complain to the police.”

Taneja had threatened to kill her if she told anyone in the family or outside about his illegal activities.

Police officials said that they would further investigate the matter, especially whether it was in the knowledge of other family members, including the girl’s mother.

Last week, the Mumbai police arrested a 49-year-old businessman who allegedly raped his daughter for over nine years on the advice of a black magic practitioner to get “rich quickly”.